Chennai,  The Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam scheme launched by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on August 5 at Krishnagiri district will be extended to the whole of the state by the year's end.

The office of the Chief Minister said in a statement on Tuesday that the scheme is currently in service at Madurai, Coimbatore, Salem, Thanjavur, Tiruchy, Tirunelveli, and Chennai districts.

The scheme, which is a flagship programme of the DMK government to deliver healthcare at the doorsteps of people in the state, was launched by the Chief Minister at the Samanapalli village in Krishnagiri district.

The Chief Minister had said that the scheme was part of the 7 point programme of the DMK government that envisioned "an enhanced quality of life for all". The Healthcare professionals, including doctors and nurses would screen people for diabetes and hypertension that are generally not properly noticed in the villages of the state. It also involves screening of kidney ailments and other congenital diseases in children and will be followed up through routine hospital treatment.

When Sujatha 48, a domestic help at Coimbatore was diagnosed with cancer in her colon, she had to travel 45 km every month from her village to Coimbatore town for availing medical treatment. With the advent of Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam scheme, much of her woes are over as the medical professionals reach her doorstep and provide her with quality treatment.

Sujatha not only gets the treatment and medicines for free but also the required colostomy bag that collects stool through an opening in the stomach.

Mohini, a nurse at Krishnagiri district, told IANS, "During door to door checkup, we could find that most of the people have not checked their blood as well as the blood pressure and these are now being properly monitored and the system is already in place in the one month of operation."

According to the health department data from August 5 to September 5, available with IANS, more than three lakh people were beneficiaries of the scheme that included receiving medicine and treatment.